Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same.
Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, as the exhaustion of existing energy resources, such as petroleum and coal, is expected, there is a growing interest in alternative energy sources which will replace the existing energy resources. A solar cell as the alternative energy sources generates electric power from solar energy and has been in the spotlight because the solar cell uses energy resources that are abundant and the solar cell has no problem from an environmental pollution point of view.
A solar cell includes substrates made of semiconductors having different conductive types, such as a p type and an n type, a second conductive type semiconductor region (or emitter layer), and electrodes respectively connected to the substrates and the second conductive type semiconductor region. A p-n junction is formed at the interface of the substrate and the second conductive type semiconductor region.
When light is incident on such a solar cell, a plurality of electron-hole pairs are generated from the semiconductors. The generated electron-hole pairs are separated into electrons and holes. The separated electrons and holes move toward the n type semiconductor and the p type semiconductor, for example, toward the second conductive type semiconductor region and the substrate, respectively, and are collected by the electrodes electrically connected to the substrates and the second conductive type semiconductor region. The electrodes are connected by lines, thereby obtaining power.